Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America,” released on March 29, 1979, features one of rock music’s most iconic album covers. The image showcases actress Kate Murtagh as a waitress named “Libby,” dressed as the Statue of Liberty and holding a glass of orange juice instead of a torch. Behind her, Manhattan’s skyline is cleverly constructed from breakfast items, cereal boxes, silverware, and kitchenware, all viewed through an airplane window.
The cover, designed by Mike Doud and Mick Haggerty, reflects the British band’s outsider perspective on American culture. Originally, the concept was to feature a character eating breakfast in a Hollywood restaurant with the Los Angeles skyline visible, but it evolved into the more symbolic Statue of Liberty waitress imagery. This visual metaphor perfectly complemented the album’s lyrical themes examining American consumerism and culture from a European viewpoint.
The album became Supertramp’s commercial breakthrough, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and winning the 1980 Grammy Award for Best Recording Package. The instantly recognizable cover art has achieved iconic status in rock history, perfectly encapsulating the album’s blend of catchy pop melodies and satirical commentary on American life through hits like “The Logical Song,” “Goodbye Stranger,” and “Take the Long Way Home.”
